The Cleanest Cities Around the World

Clean streets matter. Find out which cities topped the list for cleanliness, waste control, and tourist satisfaction.
Rome is a gorgeous city, but it‘s not the cleanest.
Rome is a gorgeous city, but it‘s not the cleanest. | Nico De Pasquale Photography/GettyImages

Choosing a vacation destination is exciting, whether you’re looking to visit the world’s happiest spots or its best booze-free places. But one factor people might not consider when booking is the cleanliness of their intended destination, which could make or break the quality of their trip. That’s why the dumpster service site Eagle Dumpster Rental looked into which cities travelers should consider if they care about cleanliness.

According to Travel and Leisure, the team analyzed the most popular tourist spots worldwide by examining three main factors: each city’s waste production levels, waste management, and public views of cleanliness. Each destination then received a “street cleanliness score.” Here’s the breakdown of the cleanest cities according to their study.

  1. The Cleanest Cities Are ...
  2. And the Dirtiest City Is ...

The Cleanest Cities Are ...

Singapore

The Singapore River at Boat Quay
Singapore is well-known for keeping its streets clean. | ANDREY DENISYUK/GettyImages

The study showed that the city-state of Singapore was the cleanest city in the world. This finding is likely due to its garbage disposal practices and minimal generation of trash per person—plus, Singapore is pretty strict when it comes to littering. Dropping trash once there will cost you up to 2000 Singapore dollars (about USD $1530).

Copenhagen

Multi-colored vibrant houses in Nyhavn harbour on a sunny summer day with clear blue sky, Copenhagen, Denmark
Nyhavn Harbour is a canal in central Copenhagen where colorful houses, bars, and restaurants are lined up. | Alexander Spatari/GettyImages

Denmark’s capital, Copenhagen, comes up next, excelling in garbage services. The city’s resource and waste management program, called Circular Copenhagen, provides ample access to recycling and sorting bins for residents.

Prague

Charles Bridge in the morning, Prague, Central Bohemia, Czech Republic
Charles Bridge is an incredible structure built by Emperor Charles IV. | Hans-Peter Merten/GettyImages

The third cleanest city in the world is the Czech Republic’s capital, Prague. The city’s residents live in clean areas and don’t produce much trash—just 676 pounds of waste per person yearly. Meanwhile, Americans throw away nearly 1800 pounds of trash per person each year.

And the Dirtiest City Is ...

A bag of garbage on a sidewalk in front of the Colosseum in Rome
Rome is known for its stunning Roman ruins ... and its garbage disposal issues. | Anadolu/GettyImages

Rome was considered the dirtiest popular tourist spot; visitors and locals often complain about the garbage that piles up on the streets. Brian McDaid, Eagle Dumpster Rental’s recycling expert, told Travel and Leisure that Rome’s conditions are due to “the city’s ancient infrastructure,” which wasn’t designed to handle the waste habits of today’s generations.

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